what is purging food

Purging food refers to the act of compensating for or expelling food intake to influence body weight or “make up for” consuming calories. It is most commonly associated with self-induced vomiting but also includes the misuse of laxatives, diet pills, and diuretics, as well as excessive exercise. Purging can be a symptom of eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, and OSFED. Purging can have multiple damaging physical effects including malnutrition leading to dry and brittle hair, pressure on the eyes causing redness, irritation, and potential damage to blood vessels, and serious dental issues such as tooth decay, gum inflammation, and potentially irreversible damage to the enamel due to the corrosive stomach acids in vomit. Purging can also cause swelling of the face and salivary glands, and painful mouth sores. Purging disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by the compulsion to purge after consuming food. It is different from bulimia in that it does not involve binge eating. Purging disorder is considered an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). Purging can be a symptom of bulimia, which is characterized by uncontrolled episodes of overeating, called bingeing, followed by purging with methods such as vomiting or misuse of laxatives.